On February 15, 2018 the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s (Authority) newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, Brian P. Kelly, and Chief Operating Officer, Joseph Hedges, visited construction sites in Fresno County and met with workers and small businesses building the nation’s first high-speed rail system.

“I am thrilled to be back in the Central Valley to get an up-close look at the work being done to deliver highspeed rail for the people of California,” said Authority CEO Brian P. Kelly. “This transformative project has helped create thousands of jobs and has bolstered economic activity for hundreds of small businesses throughout the state. Today, Fresno is the epicenter for this vital economic development.”

Their tour included a stop at the San Joaquin River viaduct in north Fresno. This 4,700-foot viaduct runs adjacent to Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) tracks and spans the San Joaquin River. A pergola structure is also featured to allow high-speed trains to cross over the top of UPRR and into the City of Fresno.
Reaching goals for small business participation and creating good-paying jobs continues to be a priority for the high-speed rail program. To date, more than 240 certified small businesses are working on Construction Packages 1-4, with as many as 1,700 workers dispatched to construction sites. More than 1200 of those workers reside in the Central Valley.

With more than 119-miles of active construction in the Central Valley underway, initial passenger service is planned for high-speed rail between the Silicon Valley and Central Valley. Learn more at www.buildhsr.com

(Source: CHSRA)